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Topic Review (Newest First)

04-04-2012 04:27 PM

rgscpat

Re: can only tack close reach, can't close-haul

Depending upon how the head of the sail is attached to the halyard, and possibly issues with the sail or other hardware issues, perhaps Robbie has raised the main as high as it wants to go. It would be way cool if he could get pictures from say underneath and behind the sail and maybe a closeup of the head of the sail (maybe from a friend on another boat or on shore) while he's close-hauled and send that to a sail maker.

04-04-2012 01:58 PM

RichH

Re: can only tack close reach, can't close-haul

robbieland ....
in your pics ... all those wrinkles and 'girts' along the luff indicate that you have not properly raised the mainsail to its 'designed' length - this includes a 'stretchout' of that luff boltrope and which if not 'stretched out' ALWAYS produces a draft-aft, baggy and overdrafted and hooked up leech condition. Suggest you go to my previous post that gives a URL which explains HOW to raise a woven dacron mainsail.
Your boat will NEVER be able to 'point' unless the mainsail is properly raised and that luff boltrope is properly stretched out to its DESIGN length.
What about the rig tension? see previous post for that also.

04-04-2012 02:34 AM

rgscpat

Re: can only tack close reach, can't close-haul

Did the wind indicator on the windward shroud show more of a reach? In that case, the pictures wouldn't have told us the full story for beating trim.

03-24-2012 12:45 AM

MarkSF

Re: can only tack close reach, can't close-haul

Yes, like the last poster said, you have a fiddle block at the boom and I'll bet the same at the centreboard box. That is to allow the sheet to go around twice to get some mechanical advantage.

Secondly, the luff on the main is REALLY baggy. Is the main halyard tight? If the main halyard IS tight, I suspect that the head of the sail won't go any higher so that the only way to get more tension on the luff is to lower the boom, or add a cunningham.

Finally the foot of the main is baggy too. Can you tighten the outhaul a bit?

03-24-2012 12:40 AM

chris_gee

Re: can only tack close reach, can't close-haul

In very light wind, the sails should be pretty flat. Think of the wind having to bend around the luff. In very light winds it doesn't have that much energy to take big angles so you have to turn down more. That extra because of the full sail could be a problem. Adding a bit more upwind fullness for power in the light is not for when it is very light. Also you won't point as high in light conditions anyway it kills your speed and stops the apparent wind moving ahead. You have to build "speed" first.
One good way of learning is racing against a buddy boat. Nothing helps to learn the right sail settings more than overtaking your buddy.

03-24-2012 12:40 AM

SlowButSteady

Re: can only tack close reach, can't close-haul

It looks like your boom vang is missing, and you need to tension the main outhaul. It also looks like you may have some tension on the windward jib sheet, causing the jib clew to curl inboard a bit (it should be absolutely slack). And what kind of a daysailer doesn't have a few empty beer bottles rolling around on the cockpit sole??? (Kids these days)

03-23-2012 10:08 PM

jsaronson

Re: can only tack close reach, can't close-haul

your mainsheet is not rigged properly. It should go back thuvthe block on the boom and back to the cleat on the back of the centerboard trunk (if I remember right). Your main is not trimmed in enough in any of the pictures. Can't really see if the jib is trimmed properly, but if it is trimmed like the main, it is too loose.

03-23-2012 09:58 PM

robbieland

Re: can only tack close reach, can't close-haul

late late update, but have been away from boat until now. here are several images i took of my rig yesterday. so, if anyone cares to gander at this point and notice anything please let me know. thanks for all the help!

03-16-2012 01:05 PM

bobmcgov

Re: can only tack close reach, can't close-haul

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbieland

And as mentioned, the foot is quite baggy, so I feel something is amiss..
Thanks

IIRC, the Daysailers had a pronounced 'shelf foot' in their stock mainsails. (Can anyone confirm that? I was, like, twelve years old.) If that is correct, you won't be able to remove that 'baggyness' with any combination of halyard, downhaul, and outhaul. It's sorta sewn into the foot of the sail. What's more important is the shape of the sail 1/3 the way up. It should be smooth, with max draft around half way back (or just forward of that) and no more than 12" deep.

As others have noted, tho, windward performance is all about getting the jib right. Clew needs to be held down and in; forestay taut, luff well-tensioned; a little bit of twist up high will give you power, but you want to make sure your top telltells are streaming, esp. in light air. Does your DS have adjustable jib cars? Again, it's been many years since I sailed one.

03-16-2012 12:53 AM

robbieland

can only tack close reach, can't close-haul

This is in LakeToxaway, North Carolina.

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